The Musician’s Soul: A Journey Examining Spirituality for Performers, Teachers, Composers, Conductors, and Music Educators

By James Jordan
GIA Publications

To be honest, I thought I could predict the contents of this book. I thought I knew what it would say. Was I ever wrong!! Much of it surprised me, especially the part that analyzes and reveals the remedy for musicians’ envy, most poignantly what Jordon calls “envy of the perfect sound,” in which Jordon draws on the pioneering scholarship of Rene Girard. A growing number of musicians are setting about to change musical culture with regard to competitiveness, contempt, back-stabbing, judgment, rumor, and despair. This book should serve as their manual. Recommended by Barbara Conable.